Aluminium was smelted in a laboratory-scale cell at temperatures down to 850 degrees C from cryolite-based electrolytes with bath ratios in the range 0.75-1.50. Electrolyses were conducted for 1-2h using a current density of 1 A cm(-2) on 5 cm(2) electrodes with an anode-cathode distance of 2 cm. Current efficiencies of up to 95% were recorded. In low bath ratio electrolytes, operation at alumina concentrations of greater than or equal to 3wt% sometimes resulted in the aluminium deposit breaking into globules which clustered around the cathode. Under constant current conditions, the critical alumina concentration for the onset of anode effect was found to be similar to 2wt %. The bubble evolution characteristics (i.e., size and frequency) which affect mass transfer and cell voltage were also evaluated. Overall, low-temperature cryolite-based electrolytes may offer a viable alternative to conventional compositions for aluminium smelting.